Web roll controlling mechanism for printing machines



H. v. BA LL Feb. 25; 1 936.

WEB ROLL CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 9, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 25, 1936. H. v. BALL 2,032,339

WEB ROIJL CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES H. V. BALL Feb. 25, 1936.

WEB ROLL CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 9, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR A-r'r'v Patented Feb. 25, 1936 PATENT omen,

WEB ROLL CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Harry V. Ball, Concord, Mam,

ompany, permanen trustee for R.

TrustC Hoe & 00., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 9, 1933, Serial No. 701,618

22 Claims.

This invention relates to braking devices for controlling the unwinding of web rolls used with printing machines and more particularly to an improved means for applying a pressure or braking action to the peripheral surface of a web roll along with a means to automatically vary said pressure according to variations in tension in the running web.

In feeding the web to a printing machine, it

is desirable that the web be fed under tension to produce good printing and it is also desirableto vary the braking action under varying conditions, 1. e., an increased braking action should be applied to the web roll when slack or a'break 'occursin the web and a.decreased braking action should be applied to'the web roll when the tension of the running web is increased.

Various methods of control have been used for this purpose, therefore, the present invention is intended as an improvement over thei'lmown methods and has for its particular object, the

provision of means for varying the pressure applied to the peripheral surface of a web roll by the movement of a weight which movement is 15 controlled by the axial movement of a floating web guide roller.

Generally speaking, this invention comprises an endless driven belt which is adapted to engage and apply a variable pressure to the peripheral surface of a web roll, said pressure being varied tocorrespond with varying positions of a floating web guide roller. A means is employed which transfers the movement of said web guide roller to a slidable counter-weight and the movement of the counter-weight is used to rock a frame which carries the endless belt, said rocking movement tending to increase or decrease the pressure of the belt upon the web roll.

With this and other objects not specifically 0 referred to in view, the invention consists in certain novel'parts, arrangements and combinations which will be fully described in connection I with the accompanying drawings and the novel features pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed. v I

In the drawings, which show a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a web roll control mechanism embodying the improvements of the present invention;

,Figure 2 is a sectionalview taken onthe line and in the direction of the arrow 2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of .the parts shown in v Figure 1, taken in the direction of the arrow 3;

55 and Figures 4, 5 and 6' are detail end sections with parts broken away, taken in the direction of the arrows 4, 5 and 6, on Figure 1, respectively Referring to Figure 1, the reference character I I indicates a portion of the machine frame upon 5 which the various parts embodying this invention are mounted.

A w b'roll I2 is supported in a well known manner upon arms, one of which is indicated at I! and which form a part of a rotatable support 10 having another pair of oppositely disposed arms similar to the arms l3 upon which aspare roll (not shown) is similarly supported.

An endless belt I4 is mounted upon suitable rollers l5, which rollers are carried by a frame 5 I6 comprising a pair of arms I! keyed to arock shaft I. and joined together by means of cross bars ll. Said rock shaft is supported inbearlugs 20 on the bracket 2|, which brackets are secured to the machine frame II, and has a weight su'pporti'ngmember 22 secured at the one end thereof. The belt I4 is adapted to engage the peripheral surface of the web roll, and, as indicated in Figure 1, will have a greater portion in contact with the web roll when the roll is full 2 and the diameter is largest, as indicated by the full lines, and a very limited portion in contact with the web roll when the web is unwound as indicated by the dotted line position.

A drive is provided for the belt H which comprises a gear 23, secured to one roller I 5 positioned on the rock shaft l8 in free running relation therewith as indicated in Figure 4 and intermediate gears 24 and 24', secured to a shaft 25,, one of which gears 24', is driven by means of the spur and bevel gear drive comprising gears 26 and 26', from any suitable driving shaft 2'! on the machine. Said drive is preferably arranged to drive the belt l4 at a speed slightly slower than the speed of the running web so as to provide a slight drag on the web roll.

It will be observed that the belt l4 would develop considerable slack in moving from the full line position to the position indicated in dotted lines. To take up said slack, a compensating device is provided which comprises a compensating roller 28, mounted on a shaft 29, and carried by arms 3|, said arms being secured to-a shaft 32 which is pivotally mounted in bearings 33 formed on the roller frame IS. A short lever 34 is secured to one end of the shaft 32 and has a rod 35 projecting from the end thereof, which rod is adapted to have a weight 36 adjustably mounted in an unbalanced position thereon so as to cause the compensating roller arms 3| and roller 28,

1 there is. An idler roller 21, mounted on the compensating roller shaft 32, will rest in -a non-operativepositlon when the belt is in the position shown in full lines and acts as a guide roller 1 when the compensating roller movesto the dotted portions 5i which are adapted to slide in grooves line position.

The weight supportingmember 22 comprises an arm-l8 secured to the end of the rock shaft I8 and has two upwardly disposed lugs 39 which support a rod ll. A weight I2 is slidably mounted on the rod.

After mounting 'a web roll on its supporting arm IS, the web is led over stationary guide rollers 43, 44, then over a floating roller 45. The flrst named roller 42 is mounted on a shaft 48, which is supported by the brackets 2|, and the other roller ll is mounted on a shaft ll supported by brackets 50 on't'ne machine frame ll The floating roller ll is mounted in bearings ll, shown clearly in Figures 1, 3 and 6, both of which bearings are slidably moimted within guideways or housings 49, secured to the frames ll. Each bearing member is provided with raised runner Sla formed in the housings l0.

. Two sprocket gears 52 are mounted on stud shafts 53-53 supported in bearings 54, which bearings are secured to the frame ll. Another pair of sprocket gears II, opposite the flrst named ,sprocket gears 52, are supported on a shaft! chains will be equalized.

' as, by securing same with screws 61, and a 'rod' which shaft is molmted atthe ends of two arms 51-5! depending from a shaft 58, the latter being supported in the side frames Ii. Sprocket chains 59 engage one'pair of each of the said sprocket gears 52 and ii and alsohave interposed between'two ends thereof, the aforesaid floating roller bearings 48. As indicated in the drawings, each sprocket chain is split and the free ends thereof are secured to ears ti on the floating roller bearings ll (see Figures 1 and 3) It will be observed that by means of the above described assembly, the axial movement of the floating roller and the movement of each of. said An arm 52, pivotally secured ii, is secured to one end of the sprocket shaft SI and has an extended end 83 interposed between two set screws 64, mounted in lugs 65 projecting from the frame H, which are adapted to be adjusted to change'the position of the said arm to rock the depending shaft supporting arms 51, and. thereby take up slack in the sprocket chains 59.

Ablock 66 is adjustably fastened to each of the sprocket chains 59 in any suitable manner, such 68 is connected to one of said blocks and extends through the other as shown in Figures I 2 and 3. A connecting link "is pivotally fastened to the extended end of said rod 88 at H and to the slidable weight l2 at I2.

' A novel form of biasing means is provided to normally pull the, floating roller against a loop in the running web to provide tension for same, and is arranged to produce an increase in the pull on said roller asthe loop is dissipated. Said arrangement comprises a conical pulley 14 having a spiral groove 15 in the surface thereof and a cable 16 fixed to the smaller end of same which is adapted tobe wound upon said grooved surto the side frame looseness occurs in the web. Immediately the floating roller 45 will be moved toward the left as viewed in Figure 1 thereby causing the lower portion of the chain to be moved toward the right. The link 69 is moved by the movement of the lower chain portion and will drive the slidable weight 42 along the rod v4|, toward theright lug 39 on the arm 38 and thus reduce the effectiveness of the weight and allowing the belt carrying frame to swing downward.- This will produce a greater brakingpressure onthewebroll and min tension upon the web. r

A further example includes a condition wherein the tension onthe running web becomes tightened, which if permitted to continue would result inabreak-intheweb. Thetensionisimmedi ately relieved, however, due to the movement of the floating roller 4' which will tend to move toward the right and by its movement cause the lower portion of the chain II and the weight 42 joined thereto, to move toward the left and will subjected. For an example, let us assume that a rock the weight supporting'member 22, and the rock shaft ll counter-clockwise to raise the belt carrying frame and thereby d the tension of the belt," uponthe web roll.

The braking action of thebelts on the web roll is thus controlled in a simple and ciiicientmanner without involving any complicated meche the invention has been shownjand described in its preferred form, it will be understood that certain changes and variations may be made in the speciflc structure provided for carrying out the invention, without, however, departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. A

What I claim is: i

1. Web tensioning mechanism forcontrolling the web feedto a printing machine, comprising an endless vbelt engaging the peripheral surface of a web roll, a pivotally supported frame having pulleys thereon to support said endless'belt,

driving connections between one of said pulleys. and the machine, and a slidable weight adapted to be moved to rock said belt supporting frame and vary the pressure of said belt upon the web roll. v 1

. to varia ion in the tension of the running web rock said beltsupporting frame and vary the pressure of said belt upon the web roll. face andhis a weight" secured to its opposite 3. Web tensio g mechanism for controlling theweb feedto aprintingmachine, an

. 2. Web tensioning mechanism for controlling the web feed to a printing. machine, comprising endless belt engaging'the peripheral surface of a web roll, a pivotally supported frame having pulleys thereon to support said endless belt, driving connections between one of said pulleys and the machine, a bracket movable with the belt supporting frame, a weight-slidablyinovable upon a rod supported by said bracket, and means to move said weight in response to variation in the tension of the running web to rock said belt supporting frame and vary the pressure of said belt upon the web roll. 3 n

4. Web tensloning mechanism for controlling the web feed to a printing machine, comprising an endless belt engaging the peripheral surface of a web roll, a pivotally supported frame having pulleys thereon to support said endless belt, driving connections between one of said pulleys and the machine, a slidable weight cooperatingwith said belt supporting frame, a web guideroller adapted to change its axial positionfaccording to. variations in web tension, and means connecting said roller with the slidable weight whereby the belt supporting frame is rocked and the belt pressure upon the web roll is varied according to the axis movement of the said-web guide roll.

5. Web tensloning mechanism for controlling the web feed to a printing machine; comprising an endless belt engaging the peripheral'surface of a web roll, a rotatable frame having, rollers thereon to support said belt, means for driving said belt, a floating web guide roller having its ends mounted in movable bearings,- and variable leverage connecting means operated by the movement of; said movable bearings-to rock the rotatable frame and vary the pressure of the. belt on the web r911 accordingto variations in tension of the web on the floating guide roller.

6. Web tensioning mechanism for controlling, the web feed to a printing machine-comprising" an endless belt engaging the peripheral surface of a web roll, a rotatable frame having rollers thereon to support said belt, 'means for driving said the web roll is varied as the of a web roll, a rotatable-frame having rollers belt, a web guide roller biased to maintain tension on the web and havingits ends mounted in movablebearings', and a variableleverage connection between said movable bearingsand-rotatable frame, whereby-said rotatable frame-is rocked' -to vary the pressure of the belt upon the web roll according to'variatio'ns in tensionof the web on V, the floating guide roller.. 4

'7. Web tensloning mechanism for" controlling the web feed to aprinting mat-mus; .comp'ri'sing an endless belt engaging the peripheral surface.

thereonfto support said belt,-means for driving;

'said belt, a weight cooperating with'said rotatable frame to. vary the radlal--position'-of the frame as the weight is. moved,- a web guidcrolier biased to maintain tension on the web; bearings for the roller, guideways to receive isaid bearinga and means actuated-by the movement'of said bearings in said guideways-to .varythe position of the weight, whereby the pressure'of' the belt on position or the web uideroll isvai'ied 8. Web tensloning mechanism for controlling the web feed to a printing machine, comprising an endless belt engaging. the peripheral surface of a web rollfa ntatable. frame having rollers thereon to suppo t said belt, means fol-driving.

d belt. a w i ht co perating with said rotatable driving relation with the guide roller bearings to 9. Web tensloning mechanism for controllingthe web feed to a printing machine, comprising a means for applying a braking action to a web supply. roll, a web guide roller, bearings for said roller movable within guideways provided therefor, means for causing the guide roller to apply a tension to the running web, means connecting one 'of said guide roller bearings with the means for applying a braking action to the web supply roll, and a movable weight cooperating with said connecting 'means movable in response to the movement of the floating guide roller and vary- .ing in effectiveness when so moved, to vary the pressure of the brake applying means on the web supply roll.

10. Web tensloning mechanism for controlling the web feed to a printing machine, comprising a means for applying a braking action to a web supplyroll, a floating web guide roller and a means to apply a varying tension upon the web guide roller comprising a spirally grooved conical pulley having a cable secured at the reduced end thereof and a weight at the opposite end of said cable, and means actuated by the movement of a the floating roller to vary the tension on the web supply roll. a

11. Web tensloning mechanism for controlling the web feed to a printing machine, comprising anendless belt engaging the peripheral surfaces of a web roll, a pivotally supported frame having pulleys thereon to support said endless belt, a compensating roller member to take up slack in the belt as the diameter of the web supply roll decreases; driving connections between one of the belt pulleys and the machine, a web guide roller, bearings for said roller slidably mounted upon guideways, means for providing a tension on the of a web roll, a pivotally supported frame having pulleys thereon to support said endless belt, a

the belt as the diameter of the web supply roll decreases, driving connections between one of the belt pulleys and the machine, a bracket movable with the pivotally-supported frame, a weight slid able upon a rod supported by said bracket, a web guideJroller, bearings for .said roller slidably compensating roller member to take up slack in mounted upon guideways, means for providing a tension on the web guide roller and a member connecting said guide roller bearings with the said weight, whereby thepressure of the-belt upon the web supply roll is varied.

" 13. ,Web tensloning mechanism for controlling the web feed to a printing machine, comprising -an endless belt supported on rpllers and engaging the peripheral surface of a web supply roll, rocker arms secured to a rock shaft and adapted to" support saidbelt rollers, a driving connection between one of said belt rollers and the machine,"'a bracket secured to another portion of said rock shafthaving acounter-weight slidably mountedthere'on, a tensioned floating. web

4 roller, and means connected therewithto vary the position ofthe said counter-weight and thereby rock'the rock shaft and rocker arms thereon to varythepressureofthebeltuponthewebsupply roll.

14. Web tensioning mechanism for controlling the web feed to a printing machine, comprising an endless belt supported on rollers and engaging the peripheral surface of a web supply roll, rockerarmssecuredto arockshaftandadapted to support said belt rollers, a driving connection between one of said belt rollers and the machine, a bracket secured to another portion of said rock shaft having a counter-weight slidably mounted thereon, a tensioned floating web guide roller, bearings for said floating web guide roller slidably mounted in guideways secured to the machine, and a connecting means between said floating web guide roller bearing and counter-weight to move said counter-weight when the ma floating web guide roller bearingis moved and thereby rock the rock shaft and rocker arms thereon to vary the tension of the belt upon the web supply roll. v

- 15. Web tensioning for controlling the web feed to a printing machine, comprising an endless belt'supported on rollers and engaging the peripheral surface of a web supply roll, rocker arms secured to a rock shaft. and adapted to support said belt rollers, a'driving connection between one of said belt rollers and the machine, 7 a bracket secured to another portion of said rock shaft having a counterweight slidably mounted thereon, .a tensioned floating -web' guide roller, bearings for said floating web guide roller slidably mormted in guideways secured to the machine, equalizing means secured to each floating web guide roller bearing to provide an equalized sliding movement for each of said bearings and a link connected to said counter-weight and equalizing means to move said eolmter-weight.

a distance corresponding to the t of the floating web guide roller whereby the rock shaft' and rocker' arms thereon are thereon, a tensioned floating web guide roller,-

rocked to vary the pressure of the belt upon the web supply roll. a A T- 16. Web tensioning m wfor controlling the webfeed to a printing'machinevcomprlsing an endless belt support on rollers and the peripheral surface of a web supply roll, rockerarms'securedto arockshaftandadaptedto support said belt rollers. a driving connection .between one of said belt rollers and themachine, a bracket secured to another portion of said rock shaft having a counterweight slidably mounted bearings for said floatingweb guide roller slidably mounted in to the machine, equalizing means to provide an equalised sliding movement for each of said bearings comprising two sprocket chains and sprockets therefor, each chain having opposite ends thereof con-' nected to one of each of said floating web guide roller bearings, and ,a link secured to one of said sprocket chains and to said counter-weight, whereby movement of the floating web guide rollerwill-cause a corresponding. movement by ,saidlink to rock the rocker arms and vary the pressure of the beltupon the web supply roll."

17. Web tensioning mechanism for controlling a,osa,sso

the web feed to a printing machine, comprising a roller engaging a loop in the web, means for carrying the roller and biasing same to press against the web, a 'movable' support, friction means movable with the support and engagingthe peripheral surface of a web roll, a leverconnected to move the support, and a weight movable on the lever and connected to the roller carrying means.

18. Web tensioning for controlling the web feed to a printing machine, comprising a roller engaging a loop in the web, means for vcarrying the roller and biasing same to press against the web, a movable support having a running belt thereon engaging the peripheral surface of a web roll, means for driving the belt at approximately the speed of the web, a lever connectedto move the support, and a weight movable on thelever and connected to-the roller arrying means. V a

19. In a web tensioning mechanism for controlling a web roll from which a web is being fed to a printing machine, a friction member supported to press against the peripheral surprinting machine, a movable supporthaving a I belt thereon engaging'the peripheral surface of aweb roll, a floating web guide roller running in a loop in the web, and a movable weight cooperating with said movable support and floating web guide roller to vary the pressure of the belt upon the web roll according to varying position of the floating web guide roller. Y

21. In a web tensioning mechanism for controlling a web roll from which a web is fed-.to a printing machine, a movable support having a belt thereon engaging the peripheral surface of a web roll, a floating web guide roller running in a loop in the web, means movablewith said movable support and having a weight movablethereon, and connections between the floating web guide roller and weight, whereby movement of the flloating roller in'response to variation in the pull. of the web will vary belt against the web roll. 1

22. In a web tensioning mechanism for controlling a web-roll from which a web is being fed to a printing machine, a friction member the pressure of the supported to press against theperipheral surface of the web roll, a rocker member arranged to vary the pressure of said friction member when rocked, a'movable weight cooperating with said rocker member, a web guide roller adapted to change its position according to variations inweb tension, and connections between the web guide roller and the movable weight, whereby movement of the web guide roller in response to variation in the pull of the web will vary the pressure of the friction memberagainst the roll.

- EARRY V. BALL. 

